Shock absorber



` 1 645,183 VOct. 11, 1927. A A' G. DAMN SHOCK ABSORBER Filed sept. 15, 192e v, g y l Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED SVIHTESk 1,645,183 PATENT OFFICE.

.ARVID G'. DALIN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. TO BRD HIGH COMPRESSIO RING COIVIANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

Application filed September 15, 1926. Serial No. 135,514.

This invention relates to shock absorbers, and is more particularly concerned with improvements in the type of shock absorber disclosed in the copending application of George H. Higgins,` Serial No.i1,r' 74, tiled July 6, 1925.

Among the more important objects of the present invention may be enumerated the following:

First, to provide a shock absorber ot sturdier and more durable construction than has heretofore been available, characterized principallyT by the provision of a comparatively` wide friction band` resembling a shoe due to its proportions and affording more nearly the desired 'amount of friction to meet all service requirements.

Second, to provide ahinge mounting for the attached end of the friction band which makes the band more readily contormable to the drum on which it operates, simplifies the matters of production and assembling and is generally7 more reliable than any other kind ot fastening inasmuch as shock and vibration will not result in a failure of the parts of the hinge where it might otherwise result in a crystallization and consequent cracking and breaking ot another type of fastening, such for example as a leaf spring connection.

Third, the provision of a generally improved construction and arrangement of parts making the device proof against the entry of dirt and water to the friction parts, which would destroy their effectiveness, and with a further view to simplicity and cheapness in construction and ease in assembling.

rlhe invention embraces still other objects and advantages which will appear in the course of the following detailed description having reference to the accompanying drawing wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved shock absorber shown mounted on the chassis of an automobile and having its cable connected with the axle, a portion of the chassis appearing in side elevation while the axle appears in section; v

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and 1 g Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on thel line 3-3 of Fig. 2-looking in the-direction of `the arrows.

" Referring-'to the'drawing, the shock-ab- "the shock absorber extends therefrom for connection with the axle 9 as by means of a special axle bracket 10. The operation of shock absorbers, snubbers, and similarretarding or checking devices used on motor vehicles is quite commonly known so that it will suffice to state at this point that in the deflection of the vehicle springs caused by the wheels passing over a rough place in the road, the chassis 7 moves'freely toward the axle 9. Suit-able meanszis provided in the shock absorber 5to take up the slack in the cable 8. Then on the rebound. when the chassisl 7 moves away from the axle 9 under the recoil action ot' the supporting springs, the shock absorber is operated to resist orV check the movement of the chassis.

Referring more particularly to'Figs. 2 and 3, it will appear that the shock absorber 5 includesan inner fixed drum 11 and an outer relatively rotatable drum or bowl 12 telescoping therewith. rlhe drum 11 is riveted, or otherwise suitably secured as at 13 to the adjustable part of the bracket.

6 with a protecting shell or cover 14. The Y latter, as shown in Fig. 1. has an elongated slot at 15 through which the cable 8 is extended for operation but covers the major port-ion of the pulley groove 16 lprovided in the periphery of the drum 12 so as to exclude dirt and water. The drum 12 is suitably provided with a peripheral bead 17 adjacent the groove 16 substantially to close' the mouth of the shell 111 and enclose the cable 8 in an obvious manner. A bearing stud or post l18 is provided for the rotary drum 12 having a threaded end 19 engaged in the adjustable part of the bracket 6. The drum 12 is formed from one piece of sheet metal and has a cast bearing sleeve or hub 2O riveted thereto, as shown at 21, the drum having its side wall contormed,as shown at 22, to fit within a depression in the end ol the sleeve 20 and provide a socket for the head 23 of the bearing stud 18. A washer 24 is provided on the stud 18 under the head 23 and serves to hold the drum 12 in position on the stud. The sleeve 20 hasanoilless, graphite-im` pregnated bushing 25 inserted therein with a press `fit to` make the operation of the drum as smooth and noiseless as possible andto make it practically unnecessary to lubricate the shock absorber after the installation thereof. The operation of the cable so close to the root of the stud orpost18 isalso of rivets 28,'the-other leaf V29 being offset inwardly relative tothe leaf 26 and freely movable on the pivot `pin 30 and being riveted, as showen at 31` to aresilient friction band 32 surrounding a; substantial portion of theperiphery of the drum 11, as appears infFig-v3. The band 32, as Vappears in'Fig. 2, is relatively ivide sothat its lining or facing 3;3 of friction material engages substantiallythe `entire Width of the drum 11. In this Way thee-maximum -available friction is secured and consequently there is the best shock absorbing or snubbing effect. The band 32 with itsl lining 33 riveted thereto, as at 34, may be made relatively short so as to-surround only yabout three-.fourths of the circumference of the drum 1l, as appears in Fig. 3, In other words, the proportionment of the band makes .it resemble a shoe. The lining 33 is extended beyond' the `free end of the band 32 asubstantial distance, as appears in Fig. `3, for a purpose presently to be referred to. The band has the free endthereof bent outwardly, as at 35, to receive the looped end 3G of a coiled tension spring 37. The lother end 38 of the spring 37 isreceived in an opening 39 provided inean offset portion of a nut 40. The latteris threadedly engaged on a screw 41 received at opposite ends in openings42provided inthe endl Walls of ya hollovv radially offset portion 43provid'ed on Vthe drum 1-2. The -nut 40, byfeng'agement With'the inside Walls of the offset portion 43, is held against rotation With respect to the screw 41 and is guided for movement lengthwise with respect to the screw in the adjustment of the latter in an-obvious manner.V As a result of this movement of the Vnut the tension ofthe spring 37 isjadjusted. `At this point it may be remarked that the extended end 44of the friction band lining 33 Apositively prevents-engagement of thespring With tlieldrum in any .position of adjustment of the nnt40 and regardless of how the spring "happens to be assembledin Vthe shock-absorber. 'There will thus vbe no possibility of a scraping noise-in the'opera `tion of the shoekabsorber. lltavill4 appear 'i `thatthe-head 45 of the fscrew "41 holds the saine against end Xv-ise. movement. Ai Cotter rm-46mm also. be rlovldediw the other lend of the screw `toflpre'ventits bece'lngling disthesanlountv of Wear of the lining.

:in Fis 3)- lodged from the opening` 42 in the event the tension of the spring 37 proves insuffimetal stamping of cupped'form riveted, as shown at 47, in an opening 43 in the peripheralyv'all of the drum 12. It Will appear from this description that the band 32 is very sturdnily mounted. The afforded'atthje hinge v27 makes the band easily' conformable Yto the drum regardless of The usual, amount of shock andjar to Which the band is subjected operation Will not result in a failure of the hinge. 'Where the band was mounted as bv meansof a resilient leaf spring rigidly seeuredto the Wall of the drum, it Was found that the constant fiexing and the 4'repeated -shocks yand jars eventually crystallized the metal and a 'cracking-or breaking 0E lof theband from its fastening resulted. Thus, the shock absorbers `Were frequently thrown out of commission. The present construction 'is also much si-inplerto manufacture and easier to assemble. If desired, the pin 3() vmaybe inserted in the assembling' of the band in the dru'm 12'afterthe leaf 26lias-been riveted `in place. Thefact' that the'pin 30 `is removable makes it a simple matter to remove the band when Wornout and anew one may beinst-alled, A cotter pin 49 may 13e-provided passing through one of the'ears on the-leaf Y216 and the pin 30 to secure the pin' perr inanently in place.

The drum 12 normally tends to rotate in a counter clockwise direction asthe parts are viewed in Figfl.V Thus, the cable 3, which has its inner end affixed to the drum, is always lunder acertain tension. A coiled Ytorsion spring 50 has one end 51 thereof hooked for reception inan fear 5'2 struck up fromafplat'e 53 riveted with the drum 11 and shell. 14to'thebracket 6. The other end 54 is also Vliookedjt'o engage in va socket 5.3 cast in the end-of the bearing sleeve 20.

In operation, as the chassis 7 the axle 9 in lthe flexing ofthe vehicle supporting springsany slack in the cable Sie 'taken up'by the spring Olcausing the drum 4the-chassis 7 moves away-from the axle 39 and as a -resultthe drum L1,2 is turned in a G {lo'ekWisevd-ireetienas viewed inF-ig. 1 (but in a counter clockwise 'direction as'viewed As a'result, the friction band exerts wrapping Vaction on the drinn l1 which resists 'the rotation of Athedr-uin 12"'sfo thatthe -shoek Nincident to the -car riding Qverfyaroughplaee the road lis effectively absorbed. The degree to `Wliiellytlie 4fricti `3n and here e@ nos@ a@ dem 112e@- flexibility lill) pends on the adjusted tension of the spring 3T. In the rotation of the drum l2 in the opposite direction the band allows relatively free .movement as in that case there is a tendency for the same to unwrap. This action is well understood and requires no lengthy explanation.

l claim:

l. A shock absorber comprising a rotary drum, a fixed pivot therefor, a relatively stationary drum, spring means normally tend ing to rotate said rotary drum in one direction, flexible means for rotating the same in the opposite direction against the action of said spring means, a friction band hingedly mounted at one end on one of said drums and frictionally engaging the other of said drums whereby to resist the turning of said rotary drum in one direction while permitting relatively free movement in the other direction, and spring means attached to the free end of said band for tensioning the same.

2. In a shock absorber as set forth in claim l, the provision in the hinge mounting of said band of a pin insertible between the relatively pivoting parts of the hinge mounting in the assembling of said band on its drum.

3. A shock absorber comprising an inner xed drum of relatively small diameter, an outer rotary drum of relatively larger diameter telescoping therewith, said rotary drum having a pivot at the center of the fixed drum whereby an annular space is left between the fixed drum and the rotary drum, a friction band disposed in said space surrounding a portion of the periphery of said fixed drum. spring means acting between said rotary drum and one end of said band for tensioning the same, and means for attaching the other end of said band to the inside of said rotary drum comprising a hinge having one leaf thereof permanently fixed to the inside wall of said rotary drum, the other leaf of said hinge being offset radially inwardly with respect thereto and havingl the end of said friction band attached thereto.

4. In a shock absorber as setforth in claim 3, the provision in said hinge of a pivot pin insertible between the fixed and the movable leaves of said hinge for assembling said friction band within said rotary drum after the fixed leaf of said hinge has been permanently secured in place therein.

5- A shock absorber comprising an inner vfixed drum of relatively small diameter, an outer rotary drum of relatively larger diameter telescoping therewith, said rotary drum having a pivot at the center of said fixed drum whereby an annular space is left between the fixed drum and the rotary drum,

spring means normally urging said rotary drum to turn in one direction, flexible means connected with Said drum to turn the same in the other direction against the action of said spring means, a friction band disposed in the annular space between the fixed and movable drums fixed at one end to the inside f the rotary drum and surrounding a portion of the periphery of the fixed drum, said band having a lining of friction material thereon, and a tension spring secured to the free end lof said band and extending substantially tangentially with respect to said fixed drum for tensioning said band, said band lining being extended beyond the free end of said band between said spring and the periphery of said fixed drum substantially as and for the purpose described.

G. n a shock absorber', a supporting bracket, a fixed drum thereon, a center post fixed therewith, an outer rotary drum bearing on said post and telescoping concentrically with the inner drum, the two drums being of deep cup-shaped form, and the inner drum being substantially smaller in diameter than the outer drum to leave an annular band space therebetween, a shallow cup-shaped cover larger in diameter than both drums fixed with the inner drum andV overlapping a narrow marginal edge portion of the outer drum, whereby to closethe annular band space between the drums and to provide a slight annular cable space about, the outer drum within the flange of the cover, the said cover having a cable opening in the flange thereof, a flexible cable extended through said opening and winding on the perphery of said outer drum close to the edge thereof, and hence close to the rootof the center post, a flexible band in the annular band space secured to one of the drums and frictionally engaging the other drum to resist rotation of the rotary drum in one direction, and spring means normally tending to rotate the rotary drum in the other direction.

7. In a shook absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein the outer rotary drum has the shell thereof formed of sheet metal, the provision of a flared rim at the edge of the flange thereof serving to reinforce the edge portion of the flange while providing one side of an annular recess for the reception of the cable, the said shell being also provided with an annular peripheral bead to define the other side of the recess and keep the cable in place beneath the flange of the cover element, serving also to substantially close the mouth of the cover element to exclude dirt and water from the cable recess.

In witness of the foregoingk I affix my signature,

ARVID G. DALIN. 

